


The Gods Still Walk

by faespresso



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mythology, Eventual Relationships, Gen, M/M, Other, more characters are gonna be added soon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-21
Updated: 2017-11-25
Packaged: 2018-12-05 03:40:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,923
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11569533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/faespresso/pseuds/faespresso
Summary: They say the gods of the ancient civilizations of Remnant still remain.As far as Qrow Branwen is concerned, that’s complete bullshit.[Discontinued]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As you guys may have guessed, this fanfiction is somewhat inspired by Rick Riordan's work. Key word is slightly.

“Ruby, he didn’t glow.” Her uncle insisted as he tucked her in. “He was just some old guy there to feed the birds.”

“But he did!” She protested, holding her bright red blanket tighter. “He glowed green! People don’t glow green!” 

“Kid, he just  _ wore _ green.” He said, draping another blanket over her.

“Nuh-uh. He  _ glowed _ , uncle Qrow!” She cried, as he grabbed another blanket, bright yellow with images of dragons on them to drape over her sister. Yang grinned upon seeing her favorite blanket, which was made for her for her birthday a few years ago. 

“How many times do I have to tell you? He wasn’t glowing. If he were, I would have seen it too.” He replied as he tucked in Yang, who happily burrowed herself under the covers. 

“But you didn’t.” She said softly, as she sunk dejectedly into her bed. The young girl rubbed her precious red blanket against her cheek, which did nothing to soothe her sorrow. 

“Good night, you two.” Qrow told them, and moved to turn out the light. 

The sound of the crickets chirping and the sound of fabric rustling as they settled into their beds filled the air.

“Yang, why doesn’t he believe me?” She asked in a stage whisper. “He had a feather cloak, and his cane was a snake.” She could see it vividly in her mind’s eye: his feathered cloak that was black and shiny like the birds at the park. His snake who was sleeping peacefully as it stood on its tail while its master rested his hand on its flat head. But most important, he glowed, and when their gazes met his own eyes widened in surprise. 

Everyone said her silver eyes were rare, which means very hard to find, but why did he have such a reaction? 

“Do you hear yourself, Ruby? Uncle Qrow’s right, people don’t glow. He didn’t have a feather cloak, and you can’t use a snake as a cane.” 

“What if he wasn’t a person? What if he was… was… something else?”

“Like what?”

“I… I dunno.” Ruby muttered, burying her face into her dear blankie. 

**

Remnant had changed.

When Ozpin was still here, the great academies were still being built under his watchful gaze. Now, they had apparently fallen in ruin.

Here he was now, visiting his personal favorite, one he deemed to be called Beacon. The plants had claimed it, with ivy crawling everywhere. Not to mention, there was an abundance of graffiti on every exposed surface.

Something horrible had happened here. He could feel it in his bones.

“What do you think, Ichtaca?” He murmured, taking his cane and holding it up. It melted into a snake, who snuck her tongue out affectionately as she wrapped around his arm. She studied the surroundings, opening her mouth for a yawn, and squeezed around his arm.

_ Tragedy. _

“Just as I thought.” He sighed, watching the snake wriggle out of his arm and shift herself back into his cane. “Well, I suppose we should go and explore, figure out what happened on our own.” 

To put it lightly, the place was a mess. The fountain he had made for the heroes of the Great War was destroyed, leaving only their ankles and feet still standing. 

“You poor souls.” He said to them, reaching his cane out to tap the statue. Graffiti was found here too, and he felt a ripple of anger. These two were heroes, who dared to deface them? With a sigh, the anger dissolved, whoever did this simply did not know better. He withdrew his cane and made his way to what was once the tower of, well, him. It was a grand clock, and they built it as thanks to him for watching over them. His eyes moved skyward... to find it too, was destroyed.

When he had awakened, Oobleck informed him that Remnant was very different, but he wasn’t expecting this. He thought this academy would be teeming with life, but no, it was in shambles like the others. 

“What happened here?” He asked aloud, to no one in particular. No one he had spoke to knew just what happened to leave Remnant this way, not even Oobleck, and he knew everything about Remnant. 

“I will find the truth, my child.” He calls out to the air, the land, the plants. He helped create this world of Remnant, and to see it in such disarray pained him. “I swear it.” 

**

Ever since that encounter with the man at the park, Qrow keeps dreaming of being a bird. In this dream, he has a stick in his beak, flying from terrifying black creatures that had blood red eyes and white masks. 

_ Fly, corvid. _ A voice urges, eerily like the man’s voice in the park.  _ Do not let the Grimm catch you, if you do, humanity will end. _

  
He wakes up soon after in a cold sweat, feeling as if his arms had been flapping for days. 

Such a though felt deeply unsettling to him. Humans can't fly, certainly not by flapping their arms.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I had no idea I would get so much positive feedback so quickly! I was really just testing the flexibility of my writing style with an AU I had conjured up when I was trying to sleep. 
> 
> That being said, I present the next chapter, and I hope you all enjoy!

It’s been days since the rain has started, and it has no sign of letting up. The girls are getting particularly antsy, since Taiyang built a swing set for the two of them before the storm hit, and they still have yet to try it out.

“I wanna swing!” Ruby cried, tugging at her father’s shirt as he flipped another pancake onto its raw side to cook. “Can we pleaaaase swing?”

“For the last time, no.” Taiyang said, looking down at his daughter. “It’s dangerous out there.”

“It’s not even thundering like it was last night!” She protested. “Uncle Qrow’ll keep an eye on me! And I have Scarlet!” To emphasize her point, she wrapped the bright red blanket around her shoulders. 

“Yeah, cause I’m not letting you go out there.” Qrow said, as he bit into a piece of dry toast.

“But why? Scarlet’ll protect me from the rain!”

“It’s not safe out there. Besides, you’ll get sick.” He remarked, reaching for his glass of water.

“I have never been sick!” Ruby proclaimed proudly, placing her fists on her hips. 

“You’re lying, ‘cause you got sick last year.” Her blonde sister called out as she attempted to swipe a piece of her uncle’s toast. Qrow responded by taking the piece of toast and cramming it into his mouth,while staring down his niece. 

“Only because you gave it to me, Yang!” The silver eyed child huffed, crossing her arms. 

“Girls, please.” Their father pleaded as he scraped the pancake from the pan onto a plate full of them. “Your uncle’s right, you’re gonna get sick if you go out there.” 

“We’ll be extra careful!” Ruby assured him as he poured a spoonful of batter into the hot pan. “I’ll wear my raincoat, and I’ll use an umbrella too!” 

“You’re not going to go out there, and that’s final!” Taiyang said, his voice surprisingly more commanding and loud, and the little girl winced. “Now, who wants pancakes?” He added in very quickly, in a cheery voice.

“Me!” Both girls squealed, and rushed to grab plates from the drying rack near the sink. After they got themselves a heaping stack of pancakes, they sat down at the table. Both the girls drowned their breakfast in syrup, and happily ate away. Qrow watched them from his seat at the end of the table, and his brother in law made his way to him, and sat down near him.

“What, no pancakes for you?” Qrow noted, seeing the lack of any sort of earthenware in his hands.

“We’re running low on supplies, Qrow.” He responded, his voice hush. “I just used our last eggs for the pancakes. I was going to go to the market this week, but…” His blue eyes flitted to the windows, and as soon as they did a bolt of lightning flashed. The rain came down with even more ferocity. “I’m not sure how long this storm or our supplies are gonna last.”

“They’re gonna notice if you don’t eat, Tai.” 

“Yeah, I know. I hate to ask this of you, but--”

“What are you two talkin’ about?” Ruby inquired as she stuffed a huge cut of pancake into her mouth. 

“The weather.” Taiyang said quickly. “Girls, do you know how thunder and lightning are made?”

“No.” Yang answered for her little sister, who was struggling to answer with her mouth full of pancake. 

“There’s an old story going around, that the lightning is the remnants of a battle between the two great gods of Remnant.” 

“Oooo!” The girls gasped, their bright eyes practically filled with intrigued stars. 

“Yep! Their battle was said to transcend even time itself. Pretty neat, right?”

“Yeah!” They agreed, and resumed devouring their breakfast. 

“Anyways, Qrow… I need you to go and see if the market is open.” Taiyang whispered.

“You must be out of your mind, Tai. The market can’t possibly be open at a time like this.” Qrow scoffed. 

“I know, I know. It’s really all I’ve got.” 

“I’m done!” Ruby chirped. ”What are we gonna do today?”

“We’re gonna play a bunch of games!” Her father grinned. “And your uncle Qrow is going to go the market to pick some things up.”

“I wanna go!” Ruby said, removing herself from her chair and rushing to her uncle's side.

“No, you’re not. You’re going to stay right here and play some games with Tai.” 

“But they always beat me! I wanna go with you.” She whined, tugging on the red blanket wrapped around her shoulders. 

“You’re gonna get sick.”

“I told you, I don’t get sick!” 

“Yeah, you do.” He reached down to ruffle her hair, and she huffed. After a few moments of getting dressed, he made his way out of his room, with Ruby standing guard at his door.

“I’ll be sure to bring those cookies you like.” He offered.

She perked up at that.

“With extra chocolate chips?”

“Mhm. And you’ll get one whole extra cookie too. Just don’t tell Yang. Pinky promise.” He extended his pinky out to her, and she interlaced his finger with his.

“Pinky promise.” She said solemnly. Then, she skipped away to join her sister and father for their fun morning of games.

He made his way to the front door, slid on his shoes, and grabbed an unassuming black umbrella from the hooks by the door.

The way to the marketplace was ripe with mud, and soon enough, his shoes and the hem of his pants were caked with it.

‘I really should have grabbed Tai’s rain boots.’ He thought to himself. They were a bright, tacky yellow, and sitting right by the door. 

After a few minutes of walking, he reached the market. Just as he suspected, the place was devoid of life, save for a woman with a bright umbrella studying a booth with a quiet intensity. Something told him to not bother this woman, and he was inclined to agree. She didn’t seem familiar to him, and if she was studying an empty booth with what looked like murderous intent… 

He made to step back, but the fact the place was muddy slipped his mind. His feet made a loud squelching noise, and her head snapped up.

Even from this distance, her eyes were bright, and they reminded him of fire. She strolled towards him at a leisurely pace, a walk that reminded him of a predator studying its prey. Every bone in his body told him to run away from her, but then she would find the girls and Taiyang too. As he contemplated this, she was less than a foot away when she finally stopped. As soon as their eyes met, hers widened, but her face stayed still and steady. She raised a hand with long nails up, and before he could react, everything went black.

**

The park on Patch was by far, the best place to consult his favorite birds: crows. They might have been said to bring disaster, but to him, they only brought good fortune. Not to mention, they were clever too, and great for learning information.

But the recent storm was a huge hinderance in his plans, every time lightning flashed and the thunder boomed, he shuddered. He felt as if he should know why exactly he was so afraid, but it escaped him. 

But that was behind him now.

With his bag of bird feed, he sat himself down on the bench that had blissfully dried in the late afternoon sun. He threw out a handful of the feed onto the ground, and a caw filled the air. Before he knew it, crows were everywhere.

One in particular caught his eye, and the old man clicked his tongue and pointed at it. The bird thankfully understood his intentions, and hopped on his finger. 

“Have you seen his majesty Coronis?” He inquired, raising the bird up to his eye level. “I have a question I must ask of him. Surely you must know where he went?” 

_ Who? _ The crow cawed.

The old man sighed. Every crow he had consulted had no idea who Coronis, the famed Corvid King was. 

“I apologize for wasting your time.” He said, and the bird flew off his finger into the sky. 

How on Remnant the crows did not know anything about one of their kind with bright red eyes was beyond him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are welcome! I want to hear what you guys thought!
> 
> (If you recognized the Greek mythology nod, high five me because I love mythology and I am willing to geek out over it.)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took so long. It took me a total of three rewrites, and you know what they say: third time's the charm! 
> 
> I have also changed some parts of the first two chapters, to make more sense as well as to be more to my liking. 
> 
> The teen rating really comes into play here. Two descriptions of death and violence, to be exact.

Cinder Fall is a very dutiful servant. She thinks that she is even more so than Tyrian Callows, who loves to fawn all over their mistress, Salem.

But Tyrian was a nobody, a mere Faunus in a sea of Fauni.

She was the patron of Autumn, the Fall Maiden, if one were to get technical.

The one who delivered the final blow to the great Ozpin.

At least, that’s what she assures herself. She saw it all, the way his body went limp and he gasped out his final breath as she slashed his throat open with just one well aimed arrow.

Yes, yes,  _ dead _ . There was a poison on that blade, from Tyrian’s long distant ancestor, potent enough to kill a god. Salem made sure of that, the potency brew took years to make.

So then why, does she see him everywhere? She sees that damned shade of green in forests, marketplaces, all at the corner of her eyes. Always she breaks out into a cold sweat, and it takes a considerable amount of deep breathing to soothe herself.

_ He still walks.  _ The voice repeats in her skull, the voice of some dead hag. 

No, no he does not. Even if she swear she saw what looked like a man with red eyes just like his favorite crow (that she took care of before his master) in that marketplace, it was a coincidence, a mere coincidence. Even if his hair was feather and messy like a crow, and she even cursed him to--

No. It was nothing, just something that happened. 

A thing that did not warrant Salem’s attention.

**

Ozpin’s new corvid companion was a quiet one. Even after a great deal of raspberries and small talk, not one caw was uttered. Instead, the bird just dug his talons into his shoulder a little too tightly, pecked at his skin when he tried to offer food to him. 

But he was not easily angered. He loved crows, even with all their moodiness, their unpredictability, and their overall bad attitudes. It made it all the more satisfying when he got a particularly interesting piece of gossip or integral piece of information.

The final straw that broke the camel’s back of his patience was trying to peck his eyes out after taking off his sunglasses to clean the dust off.

“Alright, enough!” He huffed, tugging off his jacket, or at least, attempted to. The bird was big, much bigger than any of his kind, and refused to budge. “Go on, shoo.” He commanded, shrugging his shoulder to encourage the bird to move. 

Stubbornly, it dug in its talons into his shoulder even more and it  _ hurt _ . He clenched his teeth together to hold back a cry of pain and glared at the bird.

“What do you want from me?” He sighed in exasperation. “Valuables? If so, I have nothing of the sort.”

Silence.

“My glasses? They will not fit you at all.”

The bird responded by leaning down and pecking at his jacket. 

“My jacket will not fit you either.” 

The bird let out a soft little squawk, and pecked at the fabric again.

“Please, just  _ tell _ me.”

‘Fine.  _ Your cloak is made of feathers.’ _ It informed him.

“My… cloak?” What cloak? He was very much so wearing a jacket, and--

A light bulb clicked on in his head.

He saw his true form, much like the young silver eyed girl in the park. It was a form that could not easily be seen, and was usually seen by the silver eyed ones, animals and some special exceptions. 

“Ah, so you know, then?”

_ ‘Know what?’ _

“That I am not human. Is that why you were, are, so hostile towards me?”

_ ‘It isn’t everyday you see a glowing green guy with a snake for a cane.’ _

“I am very aware of that. You could have just asked me why I glowed green instead of behaving the way you did.”

_ ‘Well, why  _ do _ you glow green?’ _

“It’s simple. I’m a god.”

A few moments of uncomfortable silence passed. 

_ ‘Nah. Don’t buy it.’ _

“It is true.”

_ ‘The gods left Remnant a long time ago... _ If _ they existed at all.’ _

“Well I can assure you that we do exist, and we never left Remnant.” He was very sure this was the truth, but why did it feel like such a lie? 

_ ‘Yeah right. You’re just some weirdo.’ _

“Hey now! Do any weirdos you’ve ever seen before glow?” He may not like this smart aleck corvid, but dang it, he was going to make sure it believed him! 

_ ‘Yeah.’ _

That was on him, he set the bar too low. 

“How about with a snake for a cane? A feathered cloak?”

_ ‘I’ve seen a feathered cloak before.’  _ It responded, unimpressed.

“But have you seen someone glow with one?”

_ ‘...no.’  _ It begrudgingly replied.

“There you have it.” A prideful smiled creeped on his face, and he found himself unable to stop it.

_ ‘Or it could mean you’re on a whole new level of weird.’ _

He resisted the urge to groan, and a tightness along with a sense of pressure in his skull warned him a headache was on its way. He closed his eyes and pressed his free hand to his temple.

“I do not have time for this. I need to find a colleague of mine.” The only other person tha. Coronis who would know what occurred in Remnant during his years of… absence? Reprieve? Well, whichever it was, the only other person who could possibly know was Oobleck. 

If he could find him again, that is. He could never stay in one place.

“And you,” He looked to the bird. “will need to decide if you want to come with me or leave. I will not tolerate your poor attitude any longer.” 

The bird stayed silent at that.

“No comeback?” 

_ ‘Well, you see… ugh, how do I put this…?’ _

A moment of silence passed as the bird thought.

_ ‘I...I need some answers. You see, I’m looking for a woman with eyes like fire.’ _

The word fire caused his heart to stop and his blood run cold. 

**A young girl with eyes like the golds of autumn bursts into the temple.**

**“You have to leave! Please!” She cries as she runs to him.**

**“Amber, what is the matter?” Her clothing is in tatters, torn, scorched too. “Why are you--”**

**“It isn’t important, just leave!”**

**He opens his mouth to speak, to pry further, and the sound of a click, and a clack causes her to whip her head to look for the source. She lets out a wail.**

**“She’s here! Find Coronis and retrieve--”**

**Then, a pillar of flames erupting before his very own eyes. She wasn’t even a chance to scream or to defend herself…!**

_‘Hello?’_ A voice asked, the bird’s. _‘You alright?’_

“Yes… I…” Ignoring the fact that his entire body was cold and that he had hunched himself over, his cane the only support he had. “I’m fine.”

_‘If you say so.’_ If birds could shrug, this one was definitely shrugging. _‘You dropped your glasses.’_

A quick look down confirmed what the corvid had said.

“Yes, it seems so.” He reached down to pick up the glasses, slid them on his nose, and pushed himself up to stand. His legs and lower back protested at this action.  “A woman with eyes of fire, you say?” 

_ ‘Yeah. She did something to me.’  _

“Well, then we must get going. I believe the next ferry will leave soon.” 

_ 'I think it’s already left.’ _

“Impossible, it isn’t six yet.” The god dug into his pocket to retrieve his pocketwatch, a dented up gold one that had a great deal of scratches all over it. He clicked it open, to reveal that it was a little after six, and he sighed.

“I suppose we’ll have to camp out for the night, then. If you could get off my jacket, please.” 

The crow looked at him, confusion in its red eyes.

A gasp left his lips. He didn’t mean for it to happen, but finally, finally, he found the Corvid King! Yes, the bird was playing jokes on him with his poor attitude. A horrible prank, but that bird had such a devilish sense of humor.

“Your Majesty! It’s been too long, much too long.”

_ ‘...who?’ _

“Coronis, don’t be silly. You know who you are.’

_ ‘I’m not Coronis. My name is Qrow.’ _

“Yes, you are a crow.” The quicker he could get to the point, the better this evening could get.

_ ‘No! My  _ name _ is Qrow, not Coronis.’ _

Any sort of joy and relief dissipated from the god. 

“If you aren’t Coronis… then where is he? And who are you?” 

**

“Emerald, Mercury, I have a very important task for you.” Cinder informed her mortal associates. Emerald looked up from the hand of cards that she held to look at her, while her associate didn’t even bother to glance up. 

“What is it?”

“Hey, do you have any sevens?” He asked casually. The two women in the room shot him a glare, and Emerald gently smacked his face. 

“Hey!” He protested. “What was that for?”

“Cinder’s giving us a mission, dummy!” She scolded, and gestured to their boss. His coal eyes looked up, widened, and he quickly slammed down his cards.

“Hey, boss! What is it this time? Do we need to see Torchwick again?” 

“No, I've already used him for this.” Cinder told him. “I need you to find a red eyed crow… and this man.” With ever so slightly trembling hands, she produced a picture that took her ages to track down.

The two of them glanced at each other, and back at her and grinned.

"It'll be no problem." Mercury assured her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the plot thickens! Tune in next time to find out who might die. Is it Ozpin? Is it Qrow? Is it Taiyang? Who knows! 
> 
> (I know.)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I write this story, I find myself having an appreciation for characters I didn't think I'd ever have an appreciation for. Funny how fanfiction works.
> 
> Anyways, there are some things in this chapter I did my best to be respectful about. If I messed up, please let me know.

He knew that roosters cries out in the morning to walk up their masters. He also knew that birds sang in the morning for a reason that was lost to him now. But what was new to him was instead of simply making a tune, his corvid companion screamed rather loudly to herald the morning.

This was certainly one way of waking him up, but was it necessary? 

“Please stop shrieking, I am awake.” He told the bird in the branches above him, and pushed himself off the dewy ground. The roots of the tree wasn’t the best for a night’s rest, but it was that or a decrepit log. His scarf as a pillow certainly eased the discomfort of the roots, and his jacket helped keep the upcoming winter chill out. But still, his joints creak and his body cries out in pain. 

A sigh leaves his lips, perhaps he should have forgone the tree entirely and slept on the hard ground. He takes the scarf and wraps it around his throat, and bends down to grab Ichtaca, who seemed just as ill-rested as he was. Something soft hit his head, and he looked up just in time to see his floppy black hat slide off his head.

“Thank you, Qrow.” He said to the bird, who squawked in response. 

“Now, the ferry surely must not have taken off yet, so maybe you could tell me more about what happened to you.” He told his companion as he put the hat on his head. 

_ ‘What is there to tell? I told you, I got turned into a bird and my name is Qrow.’ _

“You know more about me than I know about you. That doesn’t seem fair in the slightest.” He rolled his shoulders in preparation for the bird resting there, and to roll out any kinks that had settled in overnight. 

_ ‘I think the less you know about me, the better. We’re not friends.’ _

“Yes, I know. We’re merely…” Allies? Compatriots? 

_ ‘Resources?’ _

“A callous way of putting it, but I suppose.” He agreed, and gave his shoulders a final roll. “Alright, come on.” He gestured to his shoulder, and the bird flew down and dug his talons into his shoulder. 

“We need to head to the port, which is…” He looked around, somewhat in a daze. At this point, Ichtaca would gently guide his hand to the right path, but the poor sleep had done a number on his snake.

_‘That way.’_ The crow said, and Ozpin looked at to where the bird was pointing to, and turned to its direction.

“Ah, yes.” He said, 

The port was fairly quiet, with a golden haired mother and her just as brightly blonde child, who watched them with wide eyes. The crew members were tending to the ship, preparing for it to set sail, only there was no sail.

“Where’s the sail?” He asked his companion.

_ 'Doesn’t need it. It’s run by a motor.' _

“A motor…” His eyes took in the sight of the boat. “Fascinating.” He murmured in awe.

They boarded with relatively no trouble, thank the heavens they didn’t need to reserve their tickets before hand. The ship was a simple one, a mix between a cruise and cargo, something that Ozpin would have loved to learn the difference between, but didn’t want to bore his companion to death. Instead, he paced the ship, even dipping down into the cargo hold. He was content to just stroll amongst the containers, but he felt some tension in the air, or rather, from his shoulder. Qrow was digging his talons into his shoulder, not enough to hurt, but enough to signal something was going on.

_‘We’re being followed.’_ His companion warned, and the god tensed up. Who could possibly…? 

The face of a stern, woman who seemed to have been made of marble but had been cracked by her sculptor flashed in his head. He knew her, much like the woman with fire eyes, but he couldn’t place them. His heart began to beat as if it were a war drum, and he sprinted through the boxes despite his protesting limbs. He reached up to the deck, and turned only to see the view of a railing in front of him. He turned at the last moment, just shy off the cargo hold entrance.

Hesitantly he gripped his cane, ready to fight, sure enough some footsteps came closer, the cane slightly rose…

A child slammed themself into the railing that Ozpin purposefully maneuvered away from. But this did not bother them in the slightest even when the god gasped, and they pushed themself up and looked up at the duo.

This child had bright yellow hair that Ozpin felt he should recognize, along with wide blue eyes filled with wonder as they stood next to the duo and pressed their hands to the railing to steady themself.

He felt the crow shift uncomfortably on his shoulder. The god had to agree with such discomfort, he too had no idea how to speak to children, but they offered a refreshing view of the world that never failed to fill him with hope.

“Hello.” Ozpin greeted, offering a warm smile to the child.

“Joanne? Joanne!” A voice called out, and the child visibly recoiled and shrunk in size. Footsteps approached, and he looked up to see a very harried blonde woman rushing their way.

“Oh, Jo- no,  _ Jaune _ , there you are!” The child perked up at being called this, and stood on the balls of his feet, bouncing slightly. 

“Yes, mother?” He asked, and turned to the woman.

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere! I told you to stop wandering off.”

“Sorry mother, it’s just..” His eyes flitted up to Ozpin, but more specifically, Qrow perched on his shoulder. His response was to dig his talons even tighter into his shoulder, and the god softly hissed in pain. The mother looked to see what her son was looking at, and nodded simply. 

“I see.” 

“I could put the crow back in the captain's chambers to ensure your son won’t get lost again.” He offered. It would be a welcome chance to rest and relax his aching shoulder.

“But… wouldn’t he get lonely?” The boy inquired.

“I’m not sure… what do you think, Qrow?” 

_ ‘I’ll be fine.’ _

“Is his name Crow because he’s a crow?”

“Jaune!” His mother gasped. “I am so sorry--”

“...Yes.” The god decided to humor the child, even though the truth was far more complicated.

“You should give him a better name.” The young boy said very solemnly.

“I should, shouldn’t I?” He looked to his corvid companion, who squawked in protest.

“Well, at least he didn’t fall off the ship this time. It has happened before, long story.” His mother sighed.

“What brings you here, anyways?” Ozpin inquired, curiosity overtaking him.

“Well, I was out visiting my side of the family here on Patch. Jaune here has never met his cousins before, you see, and I think family is very important!”

“Yes, one can never underestimate the importance of family.” Ozpin agreed. “I was there to see an old friend of mine, and he gave me this fellow.” He looked to the corvid, who lifted out one wing in response as if to wave. A story that he made up as he went, but it was very believable.

“He should have named him a better name.” The young boy said, solemn as can be.

“I think Qrow quite likes his name. I tried naming him something else, and he just attacked me.”

The boy’s eyes widened, and regret washed over the god. He never knew what to say to others, even though he had a vague understanding of what they were going to say. 

“But we’re friends now.” He added hastily. If his companion had a problem with it, then they would just need to sort it out later.

“Do you think I can get my own?”

“Jaune!” His mother scolded.

“They’re very tricky to raise. Perhaps when you’re older.” He assured the boy, who turned to his mother.

“I want a hawk.”

“We’ll talk about it when you turn thirteen, dear.” She said, her hair looking even more frazzled than before. Qrow cried softly, and they all looked up to see the harbor coming into view.

“It was nice talking to the two of you.” He said, giving them a smile.

Jaune nodded in agreement. “Mother, can we invite them to stay at our inn? I want to know more about the birds.” 

“It’s… it’s only noon.”

“We serve lunch, don’t we?”

“Thank you for the offer, but we must be on our way.” He said, adjusting his scarf and hat. “If fate allows, then hopefully our paths will cross again.”

“Then you can show me how to handle a hawk!” The boy chimed. 

“Maybe.” Which translated to as ‘not very likely’. His mother lead him away, who still kept his blue gaze on them until he collided with a crew member, who dropped an armful of who knows what. The mother gasped and stopped to help as the boy stood in a daze. 

Pity welled up within the god, and before he knew it, a chant was leaving his lips: something about good fortune. The boy glowed slightly, and then stooped down to pick up a particularly hard to grasp knick-knack. The crew mate sighed in relief, and thanked them. The boy nodded hesitantly, and then was dragged away by his mother.

“I do hope that boy and his family has a good life.” Ozpin said.

_‘That glowing was your work, wasn’t it?’_ His companion asked, clearly not impressed.

“Just some good fortune for him. He will most certainly need it.”

There was no response from his companion.

Really, what was on his mind? The corvid was near impossible to read.  

**

No matter how many books he had gathered in his arms, Oobleck still had an unfilled thirst for knowledge. There was always, always new things to learn, to discover, no matter the subject. Not even the global government could prevent him from trying to discover information of Remnant’s forgotten history. It was everywhere, if one knew where to look.

He hated needing to keep a low profile with his research, he would love having a team with him to explore the academies for something new, the sound of his own voice and footsteps was disheartening. One pro of going solo was the stealth element, he could be out and in as quick and silently as he could. 

This was especially important when he encountered someone who was impossibly old but still looked so very young who had risen from a silent tomb-- a place where it seemed time itself had no meaning. He recalls vividly bombarding the individual with questions as he roused them from the coffin (an accident), and they merely gave him a confused sort of look. He remembers the scar on their throat clear as day, their singed and cut clothing that clearly held marks of battle, like the ones with the so called Auras and Semblances he had been told of in hushed tones in dingy bars. 

The stranger hardly recalled much of anything. But still, what they did know was good enough for Oobleck, and he was grateful for the company as they traveled to his home. He gave the stranger now identified as Ozpin a spare change of clothes, as long as the doctor could keep their old clothing to study. They were baffled by this request, but obliged nonetheless. He warned his friend (or was it colleague?) to keep in mind that Remnant had changed greatly since he had walked. 

He doubted he truly understood, and yearned to know what he was up to. After all, he hated to be left in the dark.

The sound of a sob reached his ears, and he looked around for the source to see a scraped up child sobbing. They were mousy in appearance, almost blending in their dull environment due to their brown hair and skin.

“Dear child, whatever is the matter?” The man cried, and hurried up to them, careful to keep his distance.

“S-scared… lost my momma…” They sniffed.

“Terrible, just terrible!” He felt for this poor child, he knew what it was like to be orphaned and alone. “Well do not fear, I will help you find your mother!” Gingerly, he adjusted the stack of books to his other arm, and his arm protested under the weight. He stuck out his hand to the weeping child, and they looked up at him with doleful brown eyes.

A bang filled the air, and a gush of wind teased his vivid pastel green locks. His pith helmet, which was now smoking, fluttered to the ground, blocking the view of the child. When the helmet had settled the ground, the child was nowhere to be seen. His eyes scanned the area in front of him, but already he was beginning to forget the child’s face. 

He was a forgetful sort of man, but faces were easy for him to remember. So how could he forget, and what was happening?   


“For your bright hair and strange glasses, you’re a hard man to find.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooohh snap! I got you guys, bet you thought Oobleck wouldn't get targeted. I tricked you guys by listing the people who won't come to immediate harm in this story! 
> 
> All according to keikaku*...
> 
> (*keikaku means plan.)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I announced this on my tumblr, but since this fanfiction got 200 hits, I'm planning to draw some official art for it! I don't know when it will get done, but it will get done. 
> 
> There is a plot point that I'm still SUPER iffy on, but it's pretty integral to a certain green haired scholar who is having one hell of a time in this story, so I'll keep it.

The storm has passed, and the market is open again, so they have food. On top of that, Taiyang has finally allowed them to use the new swingset to their heart’s content.

However, Ruby couldn’t be more miserable. Uncle Qrow hasn’t come back, and it’s been days. She wants him to push her on the swing, when Yang does it, she pushes so hard she lands face first into the dirt. She didn’t lose her teeth, but she did cry an awful lot.

The dreams aren’t helping either.

She keeps hearing a bird cry in her dreams, and when she looks all she can see is Uncle Qrow, and some strange lady that scares Ruby. Her fire like eyes are filled with hate, and her hands are like claws! She raises her hand and her uncle isn’t there anymore. She lowers her hand and looks around. Somehow, the woman can’t see her, and Ruby would like to keep it that way.

_Run._

A voice tells her, a voice that seems familiar, but who could it be?

But she isn’t about to risk being found out, so she prepares herself to sprint like she has never sprinted before.

Only to find she cannot move at all. Nothing is responding to her, and she can’t scream,  that woman will find her!

_Move! Move!_ She pleads to herself, but her legs feel as if they’re made of rock. Tears start streaming down her face, her heart is about to consume her whole and--

“Ruby! Ruby!” A voice calls out, one she knows all too well. Her silver eyes snap open to see her sister and her dad looking down at her. His hands were on her shoulders, and Yang was looking at her with wide lilac eyes.

“I think something’s bad happened to Uncle Qrow.”

**

“The other maidens have still evaded us.” Salem announced, her marble face still serene as always. But they all knew better.

She was absolutely _furious_.

“Tyrian, do you have any update on the Winter Maiden?” Her crimson gaze landed on their resident Faunus, who surprisingly shrunk into his seat.

“N-no, my queen.” He informed her, his long, thin fingers making a mess out of the armrest. “She still eludes us.”  

It was like Ozpin himself was mocking them from his grave. A hundred years passed, and still only one maiden in their arsenal. Their power was damnably tricky to track, almost as if he knew this would happen. Which, of course he would, being a god of knowledge and wisdom.

Her thin pale lips pressed into an even thinner line.

“We have a vast array of resources in our grasp. Do not hesitate to use them. If you cannot find the Winter one, try searching for the Summer or Spring one.”

Tyrian dipped his head down in acknowledgement.

“Dismissed.” She said, and turned away to march out of the obsidian double doors. Hazel wordlessly got up from his seat, and made to leave as well. Tyrian scampered after him, his long braid, no, his stinger twitching like someone who had just been electrocuted. Seeing no reason to be here, she placed her palms on the smooth mahogany table and pushed herself up.

“I know that you’re hiding something, Cinder Fall.” Doctor Watts remarked, freezing her in place. “What business did you have on Patch anyways?”

Damn it! How did he know?

“Searching for someone who poses a threat.” It was a half truth-- Roman was already doing that for her. After all, how else did she find out about that Oobleck fellow? She tried to keep her face as even as possible, despite her pounding heart and sweat trickling down her back.

“Really now, Miss Fall.” The doctor tutted. “It does us no good if you go out to find trouble.”

“I am trying to nip any problematic buds before they flower into a threat.” She replied.

“Like Doctor Oobleck?”

Her heart was really hammering now, and her blood ran cold.

“You should have let him be and let me deal with him. I can be very cordial, and we would get more information if we, no, _I_ acted as his ally. No need to send your lackeys after him.”

“I know what I’m doing!” She snapped, shooting a glare to her infernal colleague. If her hunch was correct, she needed that doctor dead!

He made to respond, but the doors slammed open to reveal the two lackeys in question. She curled her lips up in confidence, but as they came closer her face fell.

Mercury was limping, leaning on Emerald for support. There were charred parts on their clothing, and one pant leg of Mercury’s had been consumed by fire so much his prosthetic leg was showing.

“Cinder--” Emerald began.

“Did you kill him?”

“We did our best, but--”

“Did you kill him or not?!” Cinder roared, causing her two lackeys to wince.

“No… he got away.”

If she were frozen before, she was a continental glacier now.

“We had no idea he was actually armed!” Mercury protested. “We thought he was just some dumb professor!”

“Get out of my sight.” Whispered the maiden.

“But--”

“ _Get out of my sight._ ” She snarled. The two of them fled the room, as quick as their injuries would allow them to move. Unfortunately for Mercury it was not very fast, as he tripped over the threshold and Emerald practically trampled him. He cried out for help, which arrived in the form of his friend gripping him by the wrists and dragging him.

“Well, it seems that it's time for me to step in.” Doctor Watts said, his voice too calm for her liking.

**

_‘Could you stop whistling?’_ The bird huffed.

“Well, I could whistle or we could chat.” The god informed him. “I am curious to hear more about you.”

_‘I’d rather stick with the whistling.’_

Truth be told, even Ozpin was getting sick of his whistling. He only knew the one song by heart, and the sound was starting to grate on him. “Actually, I have some questions--”

_‘No.’_

“It’s not much!” The god protested. “I just want some information.”

_‘My name is Qrow and I got turned into a crow.’_

“I already know your life story!” At least, a part of it. “I am asking about the general state of Remnant. What happened to all the academies?”

_‘No idea.’_ The crow said. _‘No one knows anything except the government. But good luck getting info from them.’_

“The world government?” The god furrowed his eyebrows. “There’s no such thing. When was it created?”

_‘For a god you don’t know a lot.’_ The bird scoffed.

“There’s no need to have such a poor attitude.” Now he sees why he was turned into a crow into the first place.

_‘Okay, fine. I don’t know. I don't think anyone does.’_

The god always advocated for unity among the continents but something told him that this was much different than a simple council trying to maintain peace.

What was so bad in the past they needed to hide it from their own people?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Oobleck, he can't get a break... I really like the guy too, but I'm just tossing him around 'cause I can't decide what I'm gonna do with him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, thanks for not leaving any comments urging me to update quicker! Life has been really hectic lately and I haven't really found any time or energy to work on this particular story. I hope updates will be more frequent in the future, but I can't make any promises. I'm really sorry for the short chapter this time too, I wanted it to be longer but I figured I might as well upload what I had so you guys wouldn't be waiting for so long, but I'm going to make it up to you guys-- there's a little surprise for you guys at the end!
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy.

“Ruby, Qrow’s gonna be just fine!” Her father tried to assure the young girl, who was piling food in her dear  blanket she dubbed Scarlet. Most of it was cookies and some bread, she would have grabbed the cereal but she  _ hates  _ Pumpkin Pete and that was all they had. 

“You don’t know for sure.” She huffed, tying corners of her blankie together. She marched over to the closet to grab the household broom, which was older than her and Yang combined. The handle was a sturdy wood painted with cheap paint that had pretty much peeled off already, and the straw was a mess. It hardly swept up much of anything anymore, but Taiyang insisted they keep it around.

Armed with it, she took the remaining untied corners of her blanket and tied it to the handle, and slung it over her shoulder. However, she nearly toppled over due to the sheer weight of it.

“I’m gonna go find him and prove you wrong!” 

“Or, maybe he’ll come home soon.” Taiyang said. “Besides, you can’t carry all that.”

“But Yang can, and I’m gonna take her with me!” 

His face fell, and then hardened. She gulped silently, trying so very hard to keep her grip on her makeshift carry on, but it was hard with her now sweaty palms.

Which made it all the easier for her father to grab the broom and her package from her.

“Go to your room, Ruby.” He said, his voice soft and serious. He only ever took this tone when they were seriously in trouble, like when Yang took her with her out into the woods insisting that she was going to find her mom.

They didn’t find anything at all, and ended up hopelessly lost, hungry, and scratched up. They were lucky when Qrow found them when he did, because Ruby didn’t have a strong immune system like Yang. She came down with the worst fever ever, while Yang got yelled at and grounded. 

It was hard to believe that it was only a year ago. Hands down, next to her mom never coming back from her trip, it was one of the scariest things that she had ever experienced. 

“Now.” He said, his voice still taking on that solemn tone. She didn’t bother to try and take Scarlet with her, she rushed away to their room, tears stinging her eyes. Yang looked up from her game device, and a sad tone played, indicating she had died. 

“Why won’t he let me go find Uncle Qrow?” She asked, her voice cracking, and she tried her best to hold back her tears, even if it hurt her throat. “He’s in trouble, I know it…!”

“Ruby.. they’re just bad dreams.” Yang said, lowering the device onto her lap. “They’ll pass eventually, and Uncle Qrow will come back.”

“Nuh-uh!” There was no stopping her tears, and she wildly shook her head. “They’re real, I know it and I think… I think he’s gonna...!” The word was too scary to even say out loud, and she stumbled over to her bed and buried her face in her pillow.

**

Let it be known that despite his lanky frame, Oobleck could easily hold his own in a fight. After all, one didn’t get anywhere in a forbidden area of academics if they didn’t know how to protect themselves from harm! But unfortunately, it didn’t prevent him from injury, and he was getting older. He did his best to bandage himself up, but he’d need someone else’s help to finish it. Thankfully, the person he wished to see wasn’t too far away, and was the best medic he knew. 

After hours of stumbling or wishing to lay down for a nap  that would lead to his death, he finally made it to the location in question: a quiet bar called Dionysus’ Villa. It was a quaint building, with a loft set aside specifically for weary travelers and bounty hunters to lay their heads down. The first floor was usually filled with an orderly chaos, never once had he seen a fight break out in the bar. Of course, it was all thanks to the stern watch of Glynda Goodwitch, the owner, manager, and a friend of his. 

After some fumbling with the door handle, it wasn’t easy to open such a heavy oaken door with one hand, the door swung open, knocking him on his bottom, thankfully left unbruised. 

“Barty!” A jolly voice boomed, and he looked up to see his dear friend and occasional expedition partner, Peter Port. He was slightly red in the face, so he must have started to drink already, despite the fact the sun was barely starting to set. 

“Good to see you, Peter.” The weary doctor smiled. “Is Glynda in?”

“Of course she’s in!” 

“Excellent. I must see her, right away. And, ah, if you could, please help me up.” He reached out a thin arm to the other one, who responded by by clasping his much bigger hand around his wrist and snatched him up. “Thank you, friend.” 

As he entered the bar, which was surprisingly deserted, he would have thought there would be myriad of people in the building. His light footsteps hardly disturbed the stern looking blonde woman at the bar, who was cutting up a lemon with a quiet intensity. He took a seat, and coughed slightly to get her attention. It worked, but it resulted in a small amount of blood on his hand. Ah, those youths had left him in a poorer state than he originally believed. His ribs did take quite the thrashing from the silver haired one…

Glynda looked up from her slicing of the fruit, and heaved a sigh.

“You didn’t bring any government agents on your tail, did you?”   
“Not this time.” He joked. “I’m in need of your assistance.” He held out his slightly bloody palm to his friend, who inspected it with a hawk like intensity. 

“You really need to be more careful.” She huffed, setting the knife down. “Peach, manage the bar while I’m away.” She walked out from behind the bar, and gestured for the doctor to follow her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BAM! [Official art](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/252611273911435274/354926256015540228/gods_still_walk.png), just as I promised! It's not as grand as I wanted it to be, but I hope you guys still like it.
> 
> Now, for some not so good news... it's very likely this story will be put on hiatus. I don't have the energy to work on it and I don't have the same excitement for it as I once did. I don't know what's going to happen, to be frank.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear readers, I have an exciting announcement! 
> 
> I have decided to pick up this story for NaNoWriMo! So, expect longer chapters and possibly more frequent updates!

When he awoke-- not for the day, but for the first time in ages-- Ozpin didn’t know what to expect. His sandstone skin was considerably paled, but still held some color. His green robes were in rags, and a scent of smoke pervaded the air. But that was not the only thing that filled the air, as a shriek did so too. 

Wasn’t he the only one in this place? 

_ “Ichtaca…” _ His voice cracked, and suddenly he was all too aware of the fact that he was rather dehydrated.   _ “Ichtaca, where are you…?” _

As quick as lightning (the image makes him wince), the snake is by his side, baring her fangs in a smile.

“ _ Is that blood?! _ ” He cries out, somewhat panicked. That most certainly wasn’t  _ his _ blood, his was a different color. The crimson of the liquid told him that it was human blood.

He wasn’t alone?

In a hurry, he pushes himself out of the open coffin, and lowers himself to the ground face first with a thud. Why did every part of him hurt so much? Especially his lower back, and his legs felt off somehow.

His beloved snake was quick to follow, hissing as if to scold him, and changing her shape into a cane for him. After some floundering, he finally got himself up on his feet to find a lanky looking fellow on the ground, looking at him with wide blue eyes.

_"Hey! Hey!"_ His companion cawed right next to his ear, and the god recoiled, jolting him out of the memory 

"No need for that." 

" _Oh, so now you're gonna answer? I've been trying for the past few minutes to get your attention!"_

"Why?"

_ "Because I'm pretty sure we're lost."  _

**

“So you found someone? Really?” Glynda asked, clearly not impressed as she dabbed a bit of alcohol onto her friend’s wounds, who hissed in pain.

“Yes! I’m telling you, it was a man! Or maybe a woman, you know he looked quite like both.”

“Mhm.” She said, pressing a bit of fresh gauze to the wound on his leg.

“He had long silver hair and a snake for a cane, if you can believe it! He spoke to me in an ancient tongue--”

“I think you’re finally losing your mind, Oobleck.” She replied, taking some medical tape and wrapping it around his leg. “We both know that no one is just going to be under one of the academies.”

“It was a secret vault!” 

“Sure it was. The government went over those places with a fine tooth comb. If there was a secret vault, they would have found it.” 

“We both know the government drones aren’t the cream of the crop!” 

“Stop shouting. You’ve broken some ribs and you aren’t doing yourself a favor.” She huffed. “I’ll keep you down here for a while, at least until you're healed enough to walk.” She jabbed a surprisingly well manicured finger his way. “And you aren’t allowed to go on any expeditions until you’re completely healed. Doctor’s orders.”

“But… Glynda, I’m the one with a degree!”

“From the black market.”

“I worked for it, you know!” 

******

“So this man…” A well built man pondered aloud, examining a photo (well, sketch) in front of him.

“Doctor Oobleck.” An older man with an impressive mustache that resembled a bat corrected, taking a sip of his tea.

“Is… a murderer? Sir, no offense, but this doesn’t look like a murderer--”

“Are you questioning my authority, General Ironwood?” He snapped, looking at the military man who flinched.

“No, but the victim is, er, was a crime boss, and we’ve been looking for him for ages. Shouldn’t we look the other way?”

“Murder is still murder, General. And murder,” A soft clink as he set his drink on the pristine oaken table. “is still a crime, deserving of the death penalty.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my, the plot thickens _even further!_
> 
> Any thoughts, readers?


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know how I said I chose this for NaNoWriMo? Well... I wanted to do it, but all sorts of things came up-- from lack of motivation and getting sick for the first time in years. So when inspiration and motivation hit me in the dead of night, I knew I had to work on it. 
> 
> I am so sorry, dear readers. Thank you for bearing with me. I did my best to write a long chapter for you guys, I actually hit 800+ words and I'm quite pleased with it.

Let it be known that he was rather praised for his impeccable sense of direction. As true as a compass, he could find his way to anywhere! 

...Alas, things can change after many millennia. He takes a moment to stop and look around, trying to gain some sort of semblance of what he can do. To his left, a grand gnarled tree-- at least, it was once grand, as it's heavily discolored now. To his right, just a row of young fledgling trees, shriveled before their primes. 

"What... what is this place?" He asked aloud to his companion, who shifted on his tense shoulder. Really, who knew that a crow could be so heavy? 

_ ‘Why're you asking me? I don't know. ‘ _

Yes, he had a very good point. He can't expect the bird to know everything, after all, even if that's why he favored corvids all those years ago. Tilting his head to the sky, hoping to find light of the sun to at least gauge the time of day. However, as if they knew this was to happen, the trees began to braid together, blocking out the sky.

"No!" He cried out, and then as if to mock him one more time, the final rays of light were shut off. The forest was made of the color of ink all around them, and his heart leapt into to his throat. 

Taking a shaky breath, the god raised his cane made of his dear Ichtaca, and gripped it. He must remain calm, there is no need to panic in this situation, even if any sane person would lose their mind right at this moment. 

_ ‘So much for that.’  _ The bird seemed to audibly shrug, how could one even do that with their voice?!

"I do not need your attitude right now!" The god snapped, and took another breath. "I am sorry, I am just a little..." He scanned the murk all around them, trying to find the perfect word--

_ ‘Tense?’ _

"Yes." 

He was a god, and these were just trees. Trees who seemed to have a mind of their own, but just trees. Just trees. He could... he could... could... could... something seemed to stab his head, causing him to shut his eyes and hunch over, instinctively using the cane as a support. He could do something, but what could he do? He was a god but what god was he? It was an important job, a very important job, something to do with the sun, the moon, the stars... they had one thing in common... extraterrestrial bodies? No, no-- 

_ ‘We got company!’ _ His companion cried out, but there was no time to react before something hit him in his throat, and he crumpled to his knees.

**

The bar, as usual, was filled with drunken mercenaries and bounty hunters. All of them clamored for Glynda's attention as she did her best to keep up with their orders-- ale for table four, mead for the huge group crowded around an arm wrestling contest, wine for the lone table in the back with the small group of three speaking in amorous whispers. It was the same night as any, and as she navigated the groups of patrons she could hear all sorts of gossips and rumors. 

"Ohoho, did you hear that Saffron was executed recently? That's what you get by evading the government for so long..."

"Serves her right for being a smuggling Faunus!"

Glynda bit her tongue and set down the ale as requested. They paid her no mind as they continued their conversation. Moving on to the group of sailors (really, so far inland?), all by the door as they shared gossip. 

"Captain Vermillion's taking zir sweet time at that small town."

"What, Patch?" 

"No, not Patch, Another place..." 

"Ze should hurry! Our captain misses their rival."

They were surprisingly polite, saying a thank you as she set down their requested rum down on the table.

Next, an order of tea-- she wouldn't have served it if it weren't for Peach's big honeyed eyes and a plea to at least have something that didn't get people drunk off their asses. It was mostly a group of older women, probably Peach's friends.

"The Pewters vanished."

"What, all of them?" 

"Yes, all of them! Who knows what happened to them?"

"You know what I heard about them?"

"No, what did you hear...?"

None of them paid her any attention, and their gossip was surprisingly boring. She moved back to the bar with an empty platter, to see a lanky figure at the bar, cheerfully conversing with Peach.

"Bartholomew! You know you shouldn't be up here!" She scolded, setting down the platter with a loud thud on the counter. 

"I was getting rather bored, Glynda! You don't expect me to stay down in a stuffy basement for several hours!" He took a glass from Peach, and she snatched it from his hand. 

"I do, and you will! What if the police find you? With all the new agreements with Atlas, they'll be pleased to test them on someone!" 

"It's not as if they could, and that wasn't any sort of alcoholic beverage! it was just tea!"

"Get. Back. Down. There." She said through gritted teeth. 

  
**

"A human...? Here?" Said a soft voice. Through his hazy vision and the new light hurting his eyes, he saw a sort of small figures before him. One was all clothed in black from her (at least, he thinks it could be a her, with the long hair) hair, skin and clothing, the light bouncing off her glittering gold eyes.

"Some old guy, too. With a bird." Scoffed a different sort of voice. This one was different, with bright red hair, and a bright white mask with eyes cut out. 

"Maybe he's nice...?" The other one said. 

"Don't be stupid! He's human!" Some sort... of metal sound, as if a sword was coming out of a sheathe. 

"Adam, don't! He's waking up!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally, I was going to introduce a different character, but I thought those two would be more fitting. What do you guys think? Please let me know, I genuinely want to hear your thoughts, no matter what they are.

**Author's Note:**

> Ichtaca is Nahautl for secret. 
> 
> Please let me know what you think! I'm very excited to share this piece, I'm having a lot of fun.


End file.
